Snapshots of two best friends
by morningdawn202
Summary: 50 snapshots of the joy and pain of Kira and Athrun's life together.
1. Chapter 1

**Hat**

It was a hat that brought the two boys together. In fact, all it took was a windy day with Kira's hat flying off his head for them to meet. When the wind had picked up Kira's hat from his head, he had chased after it, shouting. Coming around to corner, Kira was forced to come to an abrupt stop when he saw another boy his age standing on the sidewalk, holding his hat. The boy turned to face Kira, smiled and held out the hat.

**Friendship**

When Athrun had moved to Heliopolis, he hadn't expected to make any friends, especially not like Kira. Kira wasn't like anyone he had ever met before. He was fun and always happy, but incredibly sensitive. He seemed to cry over every little thing that happened to anyone else even when it had nothing to do with him. Athrun had never met a selfless person before, but Kira was the one who taught him the true meaning of friendship. He was glad that his first and best friend had been Kira.

**School**

Athrun had never been to a real school before. He had spent his whole life in different military bases and didn't know what a public school would be like. On the first day of attending second grade, Athrun walked through the doors with a timid frown on his face, glancing nervously around. However, when Athrun saw a small, brown haired figure stand up and wave happily at him, he let himself smile shyly back. As he walked over to Kira, Athrun thought that maybe school wouldn't be so bad after all.

**Teacher**

When Kira and Athrun were in fifth grade, they had one teacher who was absolutely horrible. The kids were actually afraid to come to school in the morning because all the teacher would do was yell and scream at the kids. Athrun had been quiet about it all year until the day that Kira had run out of the school with tears on his eyes. Everyone else had quickly followed, all trying not to cry except for Athrun. He had stayed after to talk to the teacher before going after and comforting his best friend. No one was quite sure what happened between Athrun and the teacher that fateful day but one thing was certain, nobody ever saw that teacher again.

**Bullies**

Apparently, not everybody had learned to respect Kira after the teacher incident because that very same year, a couple months later, a group of bullies picked on Kira. The leader's name was Kyou and he had always had something against Kira, though nobody was sure why. When Kyou cornered Kira outside of school one day, he had every intention of beating him up. However, when a few seconds later Athrun came along, and as it turned out, it wasn't Kira running home with a broken nose that day.

**Games**

Athrun had grown up learning military tactics, not games, so when Kira found out that Athrun didn't know how to play tag, he took it upon himself to teach it to him. Soon enough the two running boys were joined by half a dozen other kids. At the end of the day, Athrun still was completely sure what the point of tag was but he was glad he had learned. After all, he had never played a game with a best friend before.

**Sick**

When Kira didn't show up for class one day, Athrun fidgeted in his seat all day, desperate with worry. When the bell finally, finally, rang, Athrun was the first one out the door. He ran all the way down to Kira's house, knocking loudly on the door. The maid answered and she smiled at him, saying that Kira would be glad to see a friend. Athrun had run up the stairs and skidded into Kira's room, out of breath. For a moment Kira didn't move from on his bed, but then Kira opened his eyes and smiled up at his flustered friend.

**Snow**

The first time Athrun saw snow, he walked out of his house like other day only to be struck by something big, wet, and cold. He yelped, jumped about a foot in the air and spun to face his attacker. He found himself face to face with a laughing Kira. It took a while for Athrun to calm down enough for Kira to explain he wasn't attacking him, only playing a game. Kira didn't understand what the big deal about a snowball fight until he realized that Athrun didn't know what snow was. After that, he decided to teach his unfortunate friend about the wonderful phenomenon, the hard way.

**Battle**

The only time the two best friends fought before Athrun left was when Kira broke a promise to meet Athrun after school one day. Athrun waited for over an hour before finally giving up and going home. The next day, Athrun went up to Kira at school and demanded to know what happened the day before. When Kira and laughed, said he forgot and apologized, Athrun had blown up at him and then stormed off. They didn't talk to each other for the rest of the day but when the school day ended, Athrun went home to find Kira standing to his doorstep. It didn't take much for Athrun to forgive him; after all, Kira was his best friend. Fighting with Kira had actually hurt Athrun more than he had let on and he promised himself that very day that he would never have another fight with Kira, no matter what.

**Sky**

Athrun and Kira often would lie in the field between their houses watching the sky. Once, Kira had asked Athrun if he thought they would ever go up into the sky and out into space. Athrun, who had been in space for most of his life, turned to his best friend and promised that the next time he went up; he would take Kira with him. They were never going to be separated. They were best friends after all.

**Don't worry everyone, this story isn't done yet. These are the first ten snapshots of the story and the next are coming soon. Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**News**

When Athrun heard the news in the letter from his father the first thing he did was sit down on his bed and cry. He knew that if his father could see him, he would probably disown him right then and there, but Athrun didn't care. For the first time in his life, Athrun felt as though he had a home and even more, a family, and now he was being told to give it all up. How could he? He had finally found a friend like Kira only to lose him almost as quickly as he got him…

**Birdie**

When Athrun told Kira the news that he was leaving for the PLANTS, he could only watch helplessly as Kira began to cry. Athrun tried desperately to comfort his distraught friend but Athrun himself wasn't really in shape to comfort himself, let alone someone else. Finally, Athrun put his hand on Kira's shoulder and when his best friend looked up at him; Athrun pulled something out of his pocket and placed in Kira's hand. When Kira looked down the little robot stared up at him, cocked its head and asked, "Birdie?"

**Lies**

Athrun watched the sky everyday for transport ships, waiting for Kira to come and join in the PLANTS but he never came. When Athrun had agreed to come to the PLANTS and away from Kira, he had been under the impression that his best friend would soon follow. However, the days turned to months and still Kira had not shown up with that big smile on his face. Athrun waited and waited until one day he finally accepted the truth: Kira was never coming to the PLANTS. Athrun had seen the last of his best friend. They would never be reunited.

**OK, everybody, from this point on, all of the snapshots take place during the war, in the anime timeframe. Therefore, it will all be in present tense. Well, go on, keep reading!**

**Dagger**

The mission should have been simple without any complications. Go in, steal the mobile suits and come out. Easy. So how was it that Athrun Zala of ZAFT found himself holding a knife toward his old best friend, Kira Yamato? Athrun saw the horror, surprise, and fear in Kira's face as he slowly stood to face him. Athrun understood completely, those where actually the same feeling that where in his own heart. Standing there, facing his best friend while pointing a knife at him, Athrun did the only thing he felt he could. The ZAFT soldier disobeyed orders, turned and fled.

**Blood**

Kira lay on his bed thinking about the latest battle he had been a part of. He had killed a man. Killed him and there was nothing he could do to bring him back. A single tear crept out of his eye and slid down his cheek as he replayed the scene over and over in his mind. When would he be able to go back to his normal, peaceful life? How much more blood would he spill before this terrible war was all finally, finally, over?

**Warmth**

Athrun was lying in his bed, under three blankets staring up at the ceiling. It was strange to be in space and yet to be as warm as he was right now. He was in a small room and in a soft, warm bed. His body was so comfortable and yet his mind was filled with cold doubts. Would he really be able to shoot Kira down the next time he saw him? Athrun didn't think so. With a sigh, the prize ZAFT soldier rolled over and as he drifted off to sleep, Athrun Zala's mind focused on one statement: there was no warmth in war.

**Cold**

Kira lay on his bed, shivering and clutching his single blanket close to his body. The space ship he was on had just gone through another battle and know the temperature system was broken and it was freezing everywhere in the ship. As Kira twisted around on the bed, looking for any warmth at all, he began to wonder, is being dead as cold as this? Were all the people he had killed in a dark and cold place? Would he end up there for his sins? As Kira, thought of the lives he had stolen, he thought that just maybe, he deserved it.

**Gundam**

Kira stood in the docking bay, looking at his Gundam. It was shining from the resent cleaning it had gone through and looked very impressive. It didn't look that dangerous right now, but Kira knew there was only one purpose for a Gundam. It was a war machine and this particle Gundam was his war machine. Somehow, the Bloody Valentine war had sunk its claws into Kira and he knew that it was never going to let go. He would forever fight, in his very own death machine called the Gundam Strike.

**Fear**

Kira had never known real fear before the attack on Heliopolis. He had never been attacked before and had never needed to defend himself against anything more than your average bully. However, that had changed in the last few months. Fear was his constant companion now. It haunted his footsteps and his mind. Even though Kira hated being afraid all the time he also knew it was essential. Without fear of the enemy and fear for his friends, he would never be able to find the strength to fight.

**Dream**

More than once, Athrun had awakened in the middle of the night, sweat streaming down his face and gasping for breath. This only happened when he was the same recurring dream he had had ever since Kira had returned Lacus to him and refused to join ZAFT. In his dream, Athrun was fighting against Kira and in the end; Athrun would drive his sword into the middle of Kira's Gundam, killing his best friend. All though, Athrun knew that for now, this scene was only a dream, he began to wonder that if someday, his nightmare would become his horrible reality.


	3. Chapter 3

**Stars **

Kira leaned against the wall, staring out the window at the thousands of stars that flew by as the ship moved. They all looked so small and insignificant against the black sky. Kira wondered if people, naturals and coordinators alike were just like the stars. Each person was small when it came to the crowd but each was also different and special in their own way. However, as Kira gazed out at the beautiful sky, he wondered if people like him deserved to be compared to such beautiful, pure things as stars.

**Space**

Athrun looked out of the window of his Gundam as he flew back toward his ZAFT ship. As a child, it had been Athrun's dream to travel to the end of the universe and back again, seeing everything. Now, of course, Athrun knew that this was beyond impossible but it was still fun to think about it. Space was so much better than the planets because it was open and free, and above all else, it was honest. Space was dangerous, but it didn't lie to the people that traveled through it. People could learn a lot from nature and space. As Athrun watched the stars pass, he wondered why if all people could see the beauty around them, why couldn't they see it in each other? Why did everyone insist on fighting?

**Family**

Athrun had loved his mother than anyone else in his entire family. She had been gentle and kind and could smile about the smallest thing. She loved peace and was nothing like his father. Mr. Zala was hard and although he loved his wife, Athrun doubted he felt that way about anything else, not even his son. When Athrun lost his mother, he lost his father too. Ever since that fateful day, he had not seen his father smile once. It didn't help that Athrun was an only child. The only one he considered to be a brother was Kira and as Athrun lay on his bed thinking about his broken family, he swore he wouldn't lose Kira like he lost his beloved mother.

**Void**

Kira's life had been fine before the ZAFT invasion, but now he could feel himself falling into a dark void, where he only knew death and war. Kira hated suffering more than anything and sometimes he thought that now, he was the cause of people's suffering but he couldn't stop the fighting. If he didn't fight then who would protect his friends? Kira knew that when they day finally came when he also lost his life he would completely spiral into the deep, dark void of death.

**Fantasy**

Late at night, Athrun wondered what a perfect life would be like. There wouldn't be any coordinators and naturals, just people and he would be with the ones he loved. His mother would be alive and Kira would live with him, just like a real brother. Gundams wouldn't even exist because in a perfect world, there would be no war and therefore, no need for war machines. In a perfect world, peace would rule and sweep away any darkness. Athrun wished that this world would someday become real but as he gazed out of his window to the remains of mobile suits, he knew that a perfect world was just a silly fantasy.

**Music**

Athrun leaned against the wall and smiled as he listened to Nicol playing the piano. They were back on earth on shore leave and Nicol had invited Athrun over for a day. Athrun had agreed and here he was listening to the beautiful music. It was a well known fact that Nicol didn't belong on the battle field. He was too soft and gentle, more suited to be a musician. Athrun had often tried to get off the front lines, but always failed. However, in moments like this, listening to Nicol's music and just for a few minutes forgetting about Kira and the war, Athrun was really glad that he had meet the green haired boy.

**Robots **

Athrun's hobby since childhood was building robots. His favorite creation was Birdy, which he had given to Kira so many years ago. Since then he had created many more robots, including several horos for his fiancée, Lacus Clyne. Athrun enjoyed working with his hands to create something that moved and worked on its own. They were also very popular gifts among his friends. However, Athrun had an alternative motive to building robots. Whenever he was in his room, building a new creation, he could forget all about war and just be a teenage boy for a little while.

**Love**

Kira had been lucky enough to have a lot of people in his life that he loved. Of course, he never knew his parents, but his teachers and friends had always been enough for him, and then there had been Athrun. Nobody had ever looked out of Kira that way that Athrun had he was the first person who really made the way into Kira's heart. After that, it was a lot easier for Kira to become close to people and make friends. Yes, Kira knew he owed a lot to Athrun and yet, here he was fighting him in a war. At the end of this, would Kira still have people left to love?

**Girls**

Kira had never really worried about girls before the war and even now, he still wasn't really sure what to make of them. It would be nice to just have things like girls and school to worry about, but that certainly wasn't the case in his life. There had been Flay, of course, but it hadn't worked out. Then there was Lacus. She was sweet and beautiful and Kira really liked her but how could you like someone in the middle of a war. Every day was a life and death struggle and you could lose your closest friend in a second. No, now wasn't the time to worry about girls.

**Loss**

Kira and Athrun had both known about loss. Kira lost his home in a ZAFT attack before being dragged into the one thing he hated most: war. He had also lost his close friend, Tall. HE had watched people die around him and had suffered with each death. Athrun had lost his mother before joining the war himself. Then he had lost his young friend, Nicol, at the hands of his best friend. Both young men had known much loss, but the worst was losing each other.

**Well, there's Chapter 3! Thanks for reading everyone. Boy, I update fast so I hope everyone had been checking back. This is going to be a long author's note for me so just bare with me here:**

**I just realized that I have never put a disclaimer so here it is:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed. If I did, Yzak would have crashed on a plant and a girl would have helped him not be such a jerk, hey, there's a story idea…**

**Just two more chapters to go before the end of the story so keep reading and REVIEW! I really want some more options. Let's get it up to 5-10 reviews before I update again. But I'm a writing freak so I'll probably update anyway… Review!**


	4. Authors Note

**To my wonderful readers,**

**I'm back! I know I haven't updated this story in forever, but I am just writing this to let you all know that I have not given up on this story and the next chapter will be coming out soon so look out for it! Thanks for sticking with me. Please review to let me know that you do indeed want the next chapter. I guarantee that will help me write it sooner! **

**-morningdawn202**


	5. Chapter 5

**Laughter**

Some days Kira would go off with his friends and for just a little while, forget about the war. He forgot all the people he killed and he even forgot Athrun for a time. When Kira was with his friends, he could pretend that none of it was happening, that it was all some sick dream. Kira could believe that for a little while at least, but he could never be fooled. He would laugh with his friends and then look out the window into space and it would all come rushing back. What right did he have to laugh, when he had permanently ceased so many other's laugher?

**Tears**

The day that Athrun thought he killed his best friend, Kira Yamoto, was the worst day of his life. At first he had simply been numb, not quite understanding what he had done. It was only when Cagalli started to talk about Kira that the overwhelming sadness flooded him. He couldn't contain and together they began to cry. Athrun couldn't believe that Kira was gone forever and thought he would never stop crying. It was true that Kira had killed Nicol, but it was war and in war people had to die. But Kira didn't have to die. If Athrun hadn't gone after him, then Kira would still be alive. Athrun cried for the boy he thought he would never see again.

**Lacus**

Lacus had great affection for both Athrun and Kira. She knew that she was to marry Athrun and she did love him, or at least she thought she did until she met Kira. He had been the only one truly kind to her when she was captured, even going as far as returning her to Athrun. Lacus loved both Athrun and Kira, and her greatest wish is that one day, they could love each other again as well.

**Attention, loyal readers. From this point on all the snapshots will be written in the future but still in present tense. Enjoy!**

**Orphanage**

When the war finally, finally ended, the four surviving friends moved into an orphanage. It was a welcome distraction to the violence that was still fresh in their memories. It felt right to help the children, like it could somehow erase past sins. Lacus adored the children and Cagalli was surprising good with them as well. As for Athrun and Kira, they loved the kids but it was also a little awkward. They were the biggest names on Earth, everyone knew about the two young war heroes. The children gawked and idolized the two young men and Kira and Athrun didn't have the heart to tell them the truth about war.

**Nightmares**

Athrun and Kira shared a room for the sole reason of they didn't want to wake the girls and children in the middle of the night with their screams. It happened every single night. One or the other of them would wake up from a horrid dream of death and war. The other would also wake and would then put his arm around the other for comfort. After one such dream, Kira asked Athrun if they would ever be rid of the dreams and faces. Athrun, not knowing what to say, simply held Kira tighter and together, they cried.

**I told you all that I would update it soon! As you may have noticed, there are only five here instead of ten, I just decided to make that change. Keep a look out for the next chapter soon!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I know I've taken quite a break on this story but I'm back and here are the next five snapshots! Remember all of these take place in my option of after the war. Enjoy!**

Memorial

Every year on the day the war finally ended there was a large memorial presented for all the people who lost their lives in the fighting and after affects. Every year Athrun Zala and Kira Yamato were invited to be special guests in the ceremony and every year they accepted. It wasn't because they were forced to or even wanted to. The two friends went every year in order to pay as much respect to the fallen soldiers as they could being the ones who put many of the men, woman and children in their graves.

Nightmares

Athrun, Kira, Cagalli and Lacus all moved into the orphanage after the war ended to finally be together. The girls slept on one side of the house and the boys on the other. This arrangement was for more than just the obvious reasons. Kira and Athrun were afraid that they might wake the girls and children with their screams in the middle of the night, an event that happened every night without fail. Every night one or the other boys would wake up from horrid nightmares and could only be comforted by the other because he was the only one who could understand. The truly terrible thing about the nightmares was knowing that they were not dreams but memories.

Children

It was true that there was some redemption with working with the orphans for the two war heroes but it was so much more than that. When the children smiled at Kira he knew that it was not because they were admiring his pilot skills or how many enemy soldiers he had shot down that day but because they were simply glad to see him. When Athrun held a child as they cried he knew it was not because they feared him but because they were upset and needed him to comfort them. But go beyond the safe walls of the orphanage and the two young men knew the smiles and tears took on a more gruesome meaning.

Sun

How could the sun still shine, far up in the blue sky? Kira often wondered about this as he lay on the sand staring up at the sky. Why was it that the world was still beautiful and still turning when he sometimes felt frozen in a time not so long ago when the sun never seemed to rise at all? Peace had finally come to the universe and yet the young man who was regarded as one of history's greatest war heroes couldn't get over the fact that for so many, there would never be another sunrise.

Cagalli

Athrun knew he would be dead a hundred times over, before, during and after the war if it hadn't been for Cagalli. He knew things would never be easy between them, they were too unlike for their relationship to be easy but Athrun also knew something else. He knew that his love for the fiery blond girl would never cease or even fade and that he would do anything to protect her and keep her by his side. Athrun had lost his mother and he had promised himself long ago to never let that happen to his beautiful wife.

**Review please!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Tree**

Kira laughed as he and Athrun watch the orphans climb in of the orphanage's tall trees. They were all giggling as they swung from branch to branch and waved down at their caregivers. Athrun waved back but then frowned. He remembered back to a time when Kira and he had done the exact same thing. However, unlike these kids, only a few short years later they were fighting for their lives in a bloody war. Had his suffering really meant anything? Had he given up enough that these kids would never need to know the terror and grief of battle?

**Mother**

Every year on the anniversary of his mother's death Athrun would go to visit her grave. Sometimes he went by himself and sometimes with his beloved friends and family. They were always sympathetic and helpful but Athrun couldn't help but resent the fact that none of them could really understand his feelings. He had watched his own mother die on some damn tv screen and that had been the trigger to his getting involved in the war. When people asked him if he thought his mother was proud of him, Athrun could never answer. Could any mother really be proud of a son like him?

**Biographies**

There were dozens of books on both the war heroes in the years after the battles ended. Sometimes the two friends would stay up late at night and laugh about all the things the authors had gotten wrong or way over dramatized. Other nights they would stay up late to cry over all the things the authors had gotten right.

**Wives**

Cagalli and Lacus were a constant source of power and strength for their husbands. They were the only ones who could comfort them when their nightmares overtook their minds because they had been there too and knew what it was like to live in war. Athrun's and Kira's love for their wives was not something that could be measured but it was certainly something that could be seen by anyone who even caught a glance of them on the road. For four people so full of grief, they were equally filled with love.

**Statues**

At the memorial for the war victims there was a large set of statues that depicting the four great war heroes. Schools would take field trips the memorial and learn all about the war. It was a very popular tourist spot for people from all worlds. In fact about the only people who never went were the four idols themselves. They needed no reminders about the war; they knew it better than anyone.

**Yes, I know slightly depressing but I think these snapshots are very real. Review Everyone!**


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